Wheel positioning device for gear grinders



July 13, 1937. H. D. TANNER WHEEL POSITIONING DEVICE FOR GEAR GRINDERSFiled June 11, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR H0 72.77772) BY I ATTORNEYJuly 13, 1937. H. D. TANNER WHEEL POSITIONING DEVICE FOR GEAR GRINDERSFiled June 11, 1934 4' Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Emma July 13,1937. H. D. TANNER WHEEL POSITIONING DEVICE FOR GEAR GRINDERS Filed June11, 1954 4 Sheets-:Sheet 3 r. W s;

INVENTOR ATTORNEY July 13,.1937. H. D. TANNER v WHEEL POSITIONING DEVICEFOR GEAR GRINDERS Filed June 11,1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR H 0- )7wer- W ATTORNEY Fatented July l3, i193? earlier tilHEElh PUSII'JTEUNINGllllEl/IIEIE FDR GlEAlllt GlltllNlll lEEfi tion oi New JerseyApplication June 11, 193i, Serial No. 729,962

2 Claims. v

This invention relates to gear grinding machines and particularly to awheel positioning device whereby abrasive wheels may be maintained inproper position relative to the gear tooth surfaces to be ground, thewheel or wheels being adjustable for different sizes, pitches andpressure angles of spur or helical gears, and for different diameters ofthe abrasive wheels.

A primary object of the invention is to pro-- vide opposed wheelsupporting heads each rotatably supporting an abrasive wheel andprovided with a dressing attachment for the work engaging surfaces ofthe wheel, so that the grinding surfaces of the wheels may be maintainedaccurately in position foroperation upon different types and sizes ofgears, and the two wheels with their supporting heads may beindividually advanced as their diameters are reduced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wheel mounting for geargrinders on the sup porting slide of which is mounted a dressingattachment, the positions of these dressing at tachments being adjustedsimultaneously as the slides are adjusted to compensate for reduction indiameter of the wheel in a manner to always properly dress the wheelsurfaces and maintain the correct positions of their work engagingsurfaces.

With the above and other objects in view my invention includes thefeatures of construction and operation set forth in the followingspecifi cation and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of thespecification, l have shown my invention embodied in a grinding machinefor spur and helical gears, but it will be understood that the inventioncan be otherwise embodied and that the drawings are not to be construedas defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appendedto this speciiication being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the wheel supporting members shownpartly in section, the

-wheels being shown in operative relation to a spur gear being ground.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the wheel supporting members shown partlyin section to more clearly disclose their construction.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation partly in section of .one of the wheelsupporting members, the dressing attachment being shown in section.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the dressing attachment shown partly insection.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View through the dressing attachmentsubstantially upon the line 5--5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal plan View of the dressing attachmenttakensubstantially upon the line 66 of Fig. 4.

In the above mentioned drawings I have shown but one embodiment of theinvention which is now deemed preferable, but it is to be understoodthat changes and modifications. may be made within the scope of theappended claims without departing from the spirit of the inven tion.

Briefly and in its preferred aspect, my invention may include thefollowing principal parts: First, a cross rail mounted upon a column orbase of a machine for grinding involute gear teeth; second, carriagesslidablymounted for movement laterally on the rail; third, a saddle orintermediate member on each carriage, the angular position of which maybe adjusted about a pivot over a limited range; fourth, a slide on theintermediate slides or saddles having supporting bearings for a spindlefor an abrasive wheel; fifth, a supplemental slide on each slide orsaddle on which dressing tools for the sur faces of the grinding wheelare mounted; and sixth, manually operated adjusting means for relativelypositioning the carriages and the slides and for operating the dressingtools.

In grinding machines of the type shown in my copending applicationSerial No. 688,7M filed September 9, 1933, now Patent No. 2,022,061,

dated Nov. 26, 1935, there is provided a single wheel for grindinginvolute curves of spur and. helical gear teeth, the wheel engaging thetooth. surfaces of the gear being ground upon oppo site conical or bevelsurfaces. The present in vention is designed for a machine having thesame supporting, actuating and indexing means for the gear being groundto simultaneously reciprocate and rotate the gear below the active orgrinding surfaces of the wheel and for pre senting successive teeth forthe grinding operations. In the present instance, however, there are twowheels provided disposed in opposed relation to each other and adaptedto contact with the tooth curves of the gear being ground upon theirrelatively outer plane surfaces. The wheels also are materiallyincreased in diameter over those shown in my copending application sothat there is sumcient area in contact with the teeth being ground thatreciprocatory movement of the wheels, as by the ram shown in mycopending application, is not necessary. In the pres cut application aram or slidable support may be employed substantially as shown in mypending application but instead of being reciprocated during thegrinding operation may be provided with manual or other adjusting meansenabling it to fixedly position the wheels properly with respect to thegear being ground.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawings, there isprovided an adjustable member l0 mounted in suitable ways extendinghorizontally within the base I of the machine. The base I may be similarto the base of the machine shown in my oopending application and havesimilar ways within which the member l0 may be longitudinally adjusted.The front end surface l2 of this slide or supporting member In for thewheels I3 is extended laterally and provided also with laterallyextending horizontal ways upon which carriages |4 may be slidablymounted. There are two of these laterally movable carriages |4, one foreach of the wheels I3, the positions of which may be simultaneously ad'-justed toward or from each other so that the wheels l3 thereon may bepositioned for gear teeth having diiferent pitches. For this purpose ahorizontal laterally disposed shaft l5 having left and right screwthreads on its opposite ends is supported for rotation within thesupporting member ID. This shaft I5 extends laterally of the grindingmachine across the front surface I2. The. screw threads on this shaftare engaged by fixed nuts l6 provided respectively within the rear facesof the carriages I4. A helical gear mounted centrally of the threadedshaft |5 is engaged by a helical pinion gear I8 on the lower end of avertical shaft l9 rotatable within the forward end of the adjustablemember Ill. The upper end of this shaft I9 is provided with a bevel gear20. Extending forwardly within a suitable supporting bracket or housing2| is a shaft 22 having a bevel pinion 23 in mesh with a bevel gear onthe upper end of this shaft l9. .At the forward end of this shaft or rod22 there is a hand wheel 24. By rotation of the hand wheel 24 thereforethe threaded shaft l5 may be rotated in either direction to position thecarriages l4 at proper distances apart for any thickness or spacing ofgear teeth being ground. Indicating means 25 are provided for theforwardly extending shaft 22 in the form of a graduated knob so that thecarriages l4 when once adjusted to an operative position may berelocated in other correct operative positions predetermined distancesapart.

The front faces of these carriages H are each provided with ahorizontally disposed pivot about which a saddle 3| may be oscillated.Arcuate slots 32 in the rear face of each saddle 3| engaged by headedbolts 33 extending through portions of the carriage l4 enables a saddle3| to be locked in any desired angular position. In order to determinethe adjustment of this saddle 3|,circular graduations 34 are providedupon the portion of the carriage l4. Adjacent these graduations 34 andcut into or provided on the saddle is a zero line 35. On the front faceof the saddle 3|..ar eguidew'a'ysin a vertical plane engaged by a wheelsupporting head 38 adjustable manually therealong. On this head 38 arebearings provided in outstanding brackets thereon within which isrotatably mounted a spindle 33, on an end of which the wheel l3 and itsmounting are secured. A grooved pulley 40 on an intermediate portion ofthis spindle 39 through belt 4| may be driven by a motor 42 provided onthe wise movement.

. 49 and at its forward end is provided with a hand head 38. A groovedpulley 43 is provided upon the shaft of the motor 42 over which the belt4| may pass In order to adjust the vertical position of the head 38 uponits saddle 3| there is provided a 6 screw supported at one end withinthe upper portion of the saddle 3| and held against end- This screw 45is engaged by a nut 44 provided on or formed in the head 33 so thatrotation of the screw 45 will raise or lower the head 38 and itsabrasive wheel l3. In order to rotate this screw 43 its upper end hasseccured thereon a gear 46 in mesh with a pinion 41 preferably thesegears 43 and 4? may be of helical or worm gear type. The pinion or worm41 is at an oblique angle to gear 43 and is mounted upon the rear end ofthe'forwardly and downwardly extending shaft 43. This forwardlyextending shaft 48 is housed within a supporting bracket 20 wheel 50. Itwill be seen, therefore, that by rotating the hand wheel 50 in eitherdirection a wheel l3 may be advanced or retracted relative to theposition of the gear being ground, the direction along which the head 38moves being determined by the angular adjustment of the saddle 3|. Themechanism described above by means of hand wheels 24 and 50, enables twoabrasive wheels disposed in opposed relation to each other to bepositioned for operation upon any involute 30 spur or helical gearwithin the capacity of the machine. The active or grinding surfaces llof the wheels |3 are plane and normal to the axis of rotation ofspindles 39. The opposite side of the wheels l3 are beveled as shown at33 so that this surface will clear the tooth adjacent being ground, thethickness of the whml at periphery being less than the minimum width ofthe space between adjacent teeth. Within the heads the spindles 33 aredisposed so that with the saddles 3| extending vertically the surfacesof the opposed wheels II are properly positioned for grinding gearshaving the smallest pressure angle found 'in practice. The obliqueadjustment of the saddles 3| enables gear teeth 45 having from minimumto maximum pressure angle (approximately 15 to 25') to be ground.

Provided on the front'faces of the heads 34 are ways Bl upon which maybe slidably mounted housing 3| for a dressing attachment within whichare slidably mounted the wheel dressing diamonds or other toolspresently-to be more fully described. The ways 33 upon whicheachdressingattachment 3| is mounted are disposed at an oblique angle to the wayson'the saddle 3| on 55 which its head 38 slides and may be. raised andlowered upon the head 33 by connections from the above mentioned screw45. For this purpose a screw 62 rotatable within the head '33 and Aengaging nut 53 on the dressing attachment is provided with a gear 63upon anintermediate portion of the screw 62 in mesh with an idler gear64 upon the dressing attachment. This gear 64 in turn is in mesh with agear 33 upon the upper end of the threaded shaft 43. By rotation,therefore, of the screw 45 to raise and lower' the head 38 carrying thewheel H the housing portion of the dressing attachment I slidablymounted upon the ways '33 is also moved in the same direction. The ratioof these motions, that is of the head 33 and the attachment 3|, is oneto one. For any motion downward of the wheel l3 and head 33, therefore,the dressing attachment 6| is moved upon its oblique angle a similardistance, The resulting position of the gear enaoeavco gaging surface 55of the wheel it after successive redressing operations will bemaintained at all times precisely identical as the head 38 is adjustedto compensate for wearing away of the wheel. To permit slight angularadjustment of the housing 6| relative to its head 38 there is provided apivot 58 outstanding from the slide 51. By these means the direction ofmovement of the dressing tools 61 can be accurately adjusted.

Clamping means shown in Fig. 6 enables the housing 6| to be clamped inany predetermined position indicated by graduations fil Referring now tothe dressing attachment per se shown in Figs, 4, 5, and 6, it will beseen that the housing 6| for the wheel dressing tools is slidablymounted upon the dovetail ways 68 and.

-Each of these slides 66 is provided with racks screws and 62 is madeadjustable.

88 along a portion of one side face which engage respectively gears 69of equal size mounted upon a central horizontal shaft 18 withinthehousing 6| adapted to be rotated in opposite directions. The positionsof the slides 68 are disposed so that one of the dressing tools '61 isat one end of its movement while the other tool is at its opposite end.While one tool 61, therefore, is moving downward the opposite tool 61will be moving upward as their rack teeth 88 are upon opposite sides ofthe central driving gears 69. In order to rotate this shaft I0 and thegears 89 to traverse the dressing tools 61 back and forth there is alarge gear 'H attached to the forward end of the shaft 10 in mesh with apinion 12 on a forwardly extending stud or shaft 13 having a crank "tool61' for dressing the operative side 55 of the wheel moves substantiallyin a direction normal to the axis of spindle 38 in head 38.

Also mounted within each dressing attachment 6| is a third diamond orother tool 16 adapted to engage the outer peripheral edge of a wheel l3.This tool 16 is carried by an arm 11 oscillated upon a pivot 18 providedwithin thehousing 8| of the dressing attachment. This arm 11 has itsdressing tool directly upon its lower extended end, the upper end beingprovided with gear teeth 19 engaging a gear 80 on the shaft 1|] referredto above. Movement, therefore, of the dressing tools '61 by rotation ofthe shaft 10 carrying pinions 69 and 88 will simultaneously oscillatethis dressing tool 16 across the periphery of the wheel l3.

To enable the dressing tools to be initially positioned for operationwhen a wheel I3 is being mounted on spindle 39 the connection betweenFor this purpose the gear 63 on screw 62 is secured by means of a collar82 keyed to shaft 82 and having serrations on the face contacting withcorresponding serrations on the face of the gear 63. Collar 82 is heldon the shaft of screw 82 by a threaded nut 83 retained preferably by alocking ring 84.

In operation and as the wheels become worn and require dressing theheads 88 are individually adjusted downward by hand wheels and theirconnected mechanism. This movement gives the housing 8| for the dressingtools thereon a downwardmovement of the same amount as the head.Simultaneously with this downward movement of a head 38 and housing, thehousing BI is moved along the guideway 68. Thus the dressing tools 66and their housing 6| are given two simultaneous movements, thesemovements being of equal amount due to the ratio of the connectionsbetween the heads of screws 45 and 62. The acute angle between theguideway for head 38in saddle 3| and the axis of spindle 39 is equal tothe acute angle between axis of spindle 39 and the guideway 60 on whichthe dressing tool housing 6| slides. The two movements of the housing BIhave a resultant direction normal to the axis of the wheel l3. The finalposition of the dressing tools, therefore, by reason of this ratio anddisposition of slides 38 and 6|, is correct for any diameter of wheel.With the head 38 moved to its new position the tools 66 are traversed byopera tion of their bars or slides as described above.

By means of the pivot 58 the housing 6| may be oscillated slightly tovary the direction of movement of the dressing tools 66. This adjustmentis sufficient to dress the operative side of the wheel l3 to a slightlyconcave surface sometimes preferred as the active face of a wheel ratherthan a perfectly plane surface.

What I claim is:

1. A gear grinding machine comprising in combination, a support, opposedcarriages slidably mounted thereon, means to adjust the position of saidcarriages toward and from each other, heads on said carriages, means topivotally adjust said heads about their carriages, means to adjust saidheads in directions at an angle to the'direction of movement of saidcarriages, abrasive wheels rotatably supported on said heads, dressingattachments for the wheel slidable on said heads, dressing tools in saidheads slidable obliquely therein,

direction normal to the axis of the wheel in said head, and means tosimultaneously adjust a head on its carriage and a dressing attachmenton its head in directions oblique to the plane of the wheel, whereby theactive plane of the wheel will remain in predetermined relationship tothe work.

2. A gear grinding machine comprising in combination, a support, opposedcarriages slidably mounted thereon, means to adjust the position of saidcarriages toward and from each other, heads adjustable on said carriagesin directions at an angle to the direction of movement of said carriage,abrasive wheels supported on said heads for rotation upon axes obliqueto the direction of movement of said carriages and heads, dressingattachments movable on said heads in directions oblique to the movementof said heads, opposed slides having dressing tools thereon within saidattachments and movable over the work engaging surfaces of said wheels,means to simultaneously adjust a head on its carriage in one directionand adjust a dressing attachment on its head in a direction oblique tothe movement of the head, whereby the active plane of said wheel ismaintained in predetermined relationship with the work, and manual meansto traverse sai slides over said. wheel.

HUBERT D. TANNER.

one of said tools in each head being movable in a III

